HELP! Fuel line nut rusted, can't remove fuel filter

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by theholycow

I knew they existed, but I couldn't remember what they're called. Is an auto parts store likely to have one available to loan?

I spent the evening yesterday taking the bed off my truck, as much as one man can do alone, so I could access the tank. I removed the filler hose but there's a plastic pipe that continues into the tank, making it impossible to see there, so my next step (if I don't get a borescope) is to pull the fuel pump.

possibly. you should just drop the tank instead of trying to find 3947ways not to.... then ending up still having to drop it.


side note, most modern vehicles have an "anti-siphon" valve/thingy in the filler neck to not allow people to steal fuel.

[theholycow]

I siphoned out ~21 gallons with the most crappy siphon hose ever, so the anti-siphon thing doesn't work well.

On truck forums it's described as standard procedure to remove the bed instead of dropping the tank. With a helper it gets done in a fraction of the time. The way I did it probably came out even. I do have no reason to drop the tank anymore, the bed is far enough out of the way for me to have all the access I need.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by theholycow

I siphoned out ~21 gallons with the most crappy siphon hose ever, so the anti-siphon thing doesn't work well.

On truck forums it's described as standard procedure to remove the bed instead of dropping the tank. With a helper it gets done in a fraction of the time. The way I did it probably came out even. I do have no reason to drop the tank anymore, the bed is far enough out of the way for me to have all the access I need.

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

Why cant you get it out with the fuel pump?
pull the one line from the filter and drop it into a tank, turn the key on, and let it drain

Originally Posted by theholycow

That's exactly what I did. It's pumping air and an occasional drop of liquid. That should mean it's empty, but I just haven't collected enough liquid to believe that it's empty. It's a 24 gallon tank that was full 8 miles ago, and I've removed about 21 gallons.

???????

pull the pump, replace the sock, and go.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by CamaroSpike23

???????

pull the pump, replace the sock, and go.

I'm confused. What's the big question about now?

And what is "the sock"? I've never done a fuel filter.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by theholycow

I'm confused. What's the big question about now?

And what is "the sock"? I've never done a fuel filter.

you said you siphoned the fuel..... after you said that you used the fuel pump to empty the tank....


the sock is on the fuel pump.



the "bag" looking thing in that pic is the sock. it stops larger debris and contamination from getting inside the pump. its basically a large filter, but it doesnt filter down to the smaller particles that the regular filter does.

[theholycow]

Oh. I siphoned out >20 gallons, then tried to use the fuel pump to squirt out the last 3 gallons but I didn't even get a whole gallon from it.

[theholycow]

Pulled the fuel pump, the retaining ring was one awful bitch to get undone. Siphoned out over 3 more gallons bringing my total collected gas above 24 gallons, left less than two pints in the tank. Hooray!

Bad news: That retaining ring is even more of a bitch to put back. I'm going to see if I can get a new one that's not all rusty, maybe it will go back in place more easily.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Pulled the fuel pump, the retaining ring was one awful bitch to get undone. Siphoned out over 3 more gallons bringing my total collected gas above 24 gallons, left less than two pints in the tank. Hooray!

Bad news: That retaining ring is even more of a bitch to put back. I'm going to see if I can get a new one that's not all rusty, maybe it will go back in place more easily.

they are a PITA to get in and out. you could take a brillo pad to it. or some steel wool

[theholycow]

One other question: How do you remove the center line from the fuel pump? The two outer lines are obvious, they have tabs that you push and they slide right out. The center one has some odd ring that I can barely see how it holds on, and I can't seem to release it.

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by theholycow

One other question: How do you remove the center line from the fuel pump? The two outer lines are obvious, they have tabs that you push and they slide right out. The center one has some odd ring that I can barely see how it holds on, and I can't seem to release it.

there should just be 1 sending "tube" on the pump, the other two should be return lines.

[CamaroSpike23]

any updates?

[theholycow]

I was rained out yesterday, and I couldn't get to a dealer on time anyway. I bought a new retaining ring today but was too busy to install.

Tomorrow morning I expect to get the whole thing done.

[CamaroSpike23]

sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. have you been taking pics?

[theholycow]

Yeah, they're not exciting though. I can post some if you want.

The nuts* on the fuel line were corroded worse than the ones on the filter, which answers the question of why they were so hard to get out when the filter's nuts looked so clean.

Now I'm just being lazy, sitting here instead of getting outside to get on it. It's not raining right now.

*: Or whatever you call them; they're shaped like nuts but have male threads...through this whole thread it hasn't occured to me that they'd not be called ntus.